⭐Today, I was delighted to meet with Professor Annamaria Lusardi, a global academic authority in #financialliteracy, and Founder and Academic Director of the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC).✨
Prof Anna and GFLEC are at Stanford where I have the privilege of attending the #StanfordExecutiveProgram (#SEP).
My coursemate, Sergiu Cristian Manea, CEO of BCR - one of the largest banks in Romania, joined us too.
Prof Anna, from decades of research in this field, confirmed that indeed, across the world 🌎 :
1️⃣ The lower income tended to do worse in both finlit and in overall #financialhealth.
We discussed how this is a problem especially for the rich-poor divide that grows in many countries, even affluent ones like Singapore, where the gains of a thriving financial services industry accrue mainly to the HNW and family office spaces.
It will become a societal and inter-generational problem, if left unchecked.
2️⃣ Growth in finlit capability in some countries has been zero, even as the world marched on in technology and economy. (No better place to see this than here in the Valley!)
3️⃣ Taking action is a big problem across the world - yet no one has cracked it.
Many a time, financial literacy or #finlit is used by financial institutions and advisers for PR reasons to whitewash commercial interests.
Or as a lead generator to sell investments and other financial products.
The #finlit might be pure, but the “last mile” advice on what to buy is conflicted. As a result, financial health remains poor.
4️⃣ Social enterprises and non-profits cannot do this alone. 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 are key - it can't be just a "tick the box" lunch talk. We need the 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 as well. We need public-private partnerships.
Coming from MoneyOwl, our new parent being Temasek Trust, I would add that we need to activate the philanthropic community, for 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜-𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬.
💡 Being here in the Valley and at Stanford, I am inspired by so many who have the 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 to make change that upends the way the world lives.💪
Prof Anna is example of one with all that, and who bring it all together with that all important 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ❤️of changing lives of those who have less of an advantage through education - when you move from not knowing to knowing, from poor understanding to real understanding, a tremendous uplifting of oneself and future generations has begun. 👨👩👧👦
MoneyOwl by Temasek Trust will dedicate itself to this work of financial literacy and making good financial action easy for everyday people, first in Singapore, and then where we can contribute, in Asia beyond.
If you are an employer or association, or a service provider that goes beyond profit, or someone who has that magic potion of intellect, imagination, indomitable spirit and intention of do good - come, drop me a line. 😊